Chennai: Madras high court has directed state govt to respond to a PIL seeking remedial measures over poor sanitation and maintenance of toilets in courts across Tamil Nadu. The PIL, moved by a lawyer, alleged that toilets in subordinate courts across the state were being maintained in a condition worse than public toilets and lacked basic sanitary facilities.Admitting the plea moved by advocate K Sivasubramaniam on Monday, the first bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan directed the registrar of the court and the PWD authorities to respond to the plea in four weeks.According to the petitioner, taps and other fixtures in several court toilets were broken, there was inadequate ventilation, and the toilets emitted a foul smell. The poor condition of the facilities was causing considerable hardship to advocates and litigants visiting the courts, he said.The petitioner further submitted that the unhygienic conditions in court toilets could expose users to health risks, including diseases such as dengue and malaria. He sought directions to repair the toilets and ensure that they were properly cleaned and maintained to eliminate the foul smell.
